Selective filling and finding system



Sept. 8, 1942. R. o. GRIFFIN 2,294,903

v SELECTIVE FILING AND FINDING SYSTEM I Filed Oct. 5, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet l I BY%W ATTORNEYS,

p 1942- I R. o. GRIFFIN 2,294,903 I SELECTIVE FILING AND FINDING SYSTEMFiled Oct. 5, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. 20255? 0 GHFFJNATTORNEYS.

P 1942- R. O. GRIFFIN v SELECTIVE FILING AND FINDING SYSTEM Filed Oct.5; 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w snu -lllllllllll 6 11 mm INVENTOk. 05227" 0;GHFi/N ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 8. 1942' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE samo'rrva FILING ANDrmnmc sys'rm 1mm 0. drum, Berkeley, Calif.

Application mms, 193s. Serial No. 233,400

" 25 Claims. (Cl. lac-16.1)

cards are notched along their edges in accord-' ance with apredetermined code. Each card'also has a central recess with arestricted opening for the purpose of receiving a card removing memberwhen the card is moved into a predetermined position. A plurality ofselecting bars are used and certain of these are moved for setting up adefinite code. The cards having notches corresponding to the code willbe moved by rocking the device and will receive the bars setting up thecode. The cards having the code will also receive the card removingmember and can. be withdrawn by the member.

The present form of the invention is designed to be held in the handwhen operated. The cards are notched according to a code and are placedin a receptacle. A cover is placed over the receptacle "and carries anumber of key-actuated selector bars that may be depressed in accordancewith a code. The device is turned upside down to move the cards towardthe bars. Those cards having .notches corresponding with the depressedkeys, will move further than the other cards, and I provide novel meansfor engaging and holding the group of cards that has moved'further. Thedevice is now turned back into an upright position and the cover isremoved and will lift the coded cards from the receptacle.

I I have provided thirty keys and these may be coded in any desiredmanner. The cards have opposite edges marked with thirty lines and theselines designate where the cards can be punched for forming bar-receivingrecesses. A central recesson opposite edges of each card has arestricted opening for receiving the member that removes the card fromthe pack.

It is possible to arrange the thirty markings on each card edge into sixgroups of five numbers the following specification, and the novelfeatures of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a partof this application, in which Figure l is a. vertical longitudinalsection I through the device taken substantially along the line l-l ofFigure 3;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially along theline 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device;

Figure 4 is .a section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure2;

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of Figure 3; s

Figure 6 illustrates-the operation of the device;

and a Figure 7 is a plan view device.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a card holding receptacleindicated at I. This receptacle is preferably box-like in shape with anopen top 2 and a central partition 3, see Figure 2. A cover 4 has walls5 that telescope over the receptacle. The lower edges of the cover wallsare curved as at 6 to permit the ready movement of the cover over thereceptacle.

A plurality of cards of the type shown at 'l in Figure 7 are disposed inthe two compartments A and B formed in the receptacle I by the partition3. These cards are marked adjacent to their edges and I have shownthirty marks 8 along one edge and a similar number of marks 9 along theopposite edge although this number may be changed at will. In Figure 6,I show one of the cards I provided with a punched-out recess l0 and thisrecess is formed at the marking numbered H in accordance with apredetermined code hereinafter described. It is possible to provide thecards with any desired number of recesses l0 and both edges of the cardsmay be recessed in this manner.

The edges l l and [2 of the card I, see Figure 7,

are also'provided with recesses I3 and it that of a card used with theat C and D in Figure 3. The keys C carry push buttons I5 numbered from 1to inclusive and the keys D are provided with similar push buttons I5numbered from 16 to 30 inclusive. In Figure 2, I show the push buttonsI5 mounted on shanks I8 and these shanks in turn are pivotally securedat I! to selector bars I8. A guide comb I9 for the bars I8, is placed oneach side of the cover 4, see v Figures 1 and 2, and the selector barsI8 are slidably mounted in the slots 20 formed in the combs. After thebars are mounted in the combs, a bar retaining strip 2| is placed overthe open ends of the combs and holds the bars in place. This bar has-abevelled lower edge as shown in Figure 2.

The shanks I6 project through slots 22 formed in the top wall 23 of thecover. A key-holding strip 24 is placed under the top wall 23 andbetween the two rows of shanks I8 and also acts as a spacer bar for theshanks. Each shank carries a catch 25 that will engage with the strip 24when the shank is moved downwardly by depressing the button l5. A spring26 is connected to each shank and extends at an angle to a supportinghook 21 and this spring will yieldingly hold the catch 25 in engagementwith the strip 24 when the key is depressed. The spring 26 performstheadditional function of returning the shank and selector bar I8 tostarting position when the key I5 is swung about its pivot I! in adirection to free the catch 25 from the strip 24. The freeing of eachkey may be done manually and independently or all of the keys may befreed at once from the strip 24 by a mechanism now to be described.

In Figures 2 and 4, I show two key-release bars 28 and 29 extendingparallel with respect to each other and normally abutting one another.The release bars 28 and 29 are slidably supported on brackets 30 thatare secured to the walls 5 of the cover 4, see Figures 1 and 4. Links33'are pivotally connected to both bars 28 and 29 and are normallyinclined in the positions shown in Figure 4. The bars are recessed at 34for providing spaces through which pivot pins 35 extend from the linksto the brackets 30. It will be seen from this construction that when thebar 28 is moved to the right in Figure 4, the links will move the bar 29to the left and will also space the bars from each other. The barscontact with the key shanks i6, see Figure 2, and therefore a movementof the bars away from each other will cause the shanks to move outwardlyand free the catches 25 from the strip 24 of those keys that have beendepressed. The springs 26 will immediately raise the depressed keyshanks and will also raise the selector bars I8 connected therewith.

The means for moving the release bars 28 and 29 away from each other,consists of a link 36 centrally disposed on the bars 28 and 29, see

Figure 4. The link 36 is pivotally connected at 3'! to the bars, Thelink 36 is carried by a stub shaft 38 and Figure 1 shows the shaftextending through a sleeve 39 carried by the top cover 23. The sleeve 39extends through the strip 24, and the shaft 38 extends above the top 23and carries a release key 40, see Figure 3. When the release key 40 isrotated in the direction of the arrows a, the shaft 38 will be rockedand will swing the link 36 therewith. The link will act upon the bars 28and 29 to move them into release position. The bars will free thedepressed keys and permit them to return to normal position in themanner already stated. When the release key 40 is freed, a torsionalspring 4I, see Figure 1, will swing the key and the link 38 back intothe positions shown in Figures 3 and 4, and this will bring the releasebars 28 and 29 back into contacting position as shown in Figure 4.

Figures 1 and 6 show the cards I with notches III cut therein atpredetermined places. The desired code is formed by depressing certainkeys I5 and then the box is inverted. The cards will gravitate from thereceptacle I into the cover 4 and the depressed selector bars I8 willhold the cards from moving beyond these bars unless the cards havenotches registering with the depressed bars. Those cards that have theselected code will move beyond the depressed bars I8 and will come torest after the selector bars enter the notches. A card removing bar 42is positioned to enter the recesses I3 of the cards carrying the propercode. In Figures 1 and 4, I show the card removing bar 42 extendingacross the width of the cover and it will be seen from Figures 1 and 6that the bar is rectangular in cross section and normally the widersides of the bar are disposed in a vertical position.

Figure 2 shows the bar rotatably carried by the side walls of the coverand being rigidly secured to a bar rotating member 43. In Figure 5, Ishow the member 43 as comprising a disc with a peripheral cutout portion44 that is bounded by shoulders 45 and 46. A peripheral groove .41 isformed in the member 43 and extends from the shoulder 45 to the othershoulder 48, A stop pin 48 is carried by the side wall of the cover andnormally contacts with theshoulder 46. A coiled spring 49 is connectedto the pin 48 and is received in the groove 41. The other end of thespring is connected to the member 43 at 58. An actuating arm 5| ispivotally connected to the member 43 at 52 and has its free end slidablyreceived in a bracket 53. The other end of the arm 5| is curved at 54 toprovide a handle.

After the receptacle has been inverted, the handle 54 is moved, seeFigure 5, and the card removing bar 42 will be swung through 90 and willlock itself in the card recesses I3. Of course, the device is held ininverted position during this movement, and therefore Figure 6 should beinverted to illustrate the correct position of the device. The handle 54is kept raised while the device is returned to normal position and thiswill cause the coded cards to be supported and the others to drop backinto the receptacle. The handle 54 is still held in raised positionwhile the cover is removed from the receptacle. This will remove thecoded cards from the receptacle.

As an aid in removing the cover, I provide arcuate side walls 55, seeFigure 2, which are integral with the top '23 and are arranged parallelwith the banks of keys C and D, see Figure 3.

The thumb of the hand of the operator that removes the cover from thereceptacle, actuates the handle 54 for rotating the bar 42 before thecover is removed. The pivoting of the key shanks I6 to the selector barsI8 permits the shanks to rock on their pivots when moving into or out oftheir operating positions. This obviates the necessity of causing theentire selector bar to move in the direction of its length when thecatch 25 engages with or disengages from the strip 24. The arrangementof the springs 28 performs the double function of keeping the catches ofthe depressed keys in engagement with the strip 24 and of returning theselector bars to normal positions when the catches are freed by themanual swinging of individual depressed keys away from first letter.

the strip 24 or the releasing of all of the keys by the partial rotationof the release key 40.

It is possible to code both edges II and I! of each card and I thereforehave designated the marks 8 along one edge by the reference charac ter Aon the card and have designated the marks 9 adjacent to the edge I2 bythe reference char acter B, also marked on the card, see Figure 7. Whenit is desired to code from the edge 12, the pack of cards are invertedin the receptacle l and the recess I now takes the place of the recessl3.

It is possible to make various types of codes on the cards. For example,the cards could be coded to give the surname and the first letters ofthe first and second given names. In addition the sex, race, and whetherthe person is a parent or non-parent, could be given. All of this isaccomplished by coding the cards in the following manner:

Surname.-The first eleven positions on the card will be used for thisname. The only use that will be made of the direct alphabeticalprinciple will be to determine the general filing location of the cardby the first letter of the surname; thus, Smiths card (after beingnotched) would be dropped in the drawer designated for the S's (with thenotched edge up). The consonants are given arbitrary numerals as shownin the next table. The notch'ed coding for the surname begins with thenumerical equivalent given the first three consonants in the namefollowing the (When fewer than three consonants are to be found in thesurname, the deficiency is made up with ciphers-one, two or three, asthe case may be.) The consonants are arbitrarily grouped and numericallydesignated in this manner:

b, p, f, v-1 0, s, k, g, j, q, x, z-2 d, t3 1-4 n-5 r6 Now, forillustration, take Smiths card, m"=5; t"=3; and h is not given a number.Therefore the surname Smith will be 530. The three-digit numbers made upof all the various combinations of the six figures above shown (and thezero when required) can be coded in the eleven markings provided, iffive out of eleven positions reserved for the purpose are notched. Themaximum possible combinations within a segment of eleven are 462 incombinations of five each. 1 (Only 259 are needed for all of thecombinations possible with six numbers, but ten positions incombinations of five gives a maximum of only 252-just 7 short of thenumber needed.) A complete list of code number combinations for the 259different arrangements required will be unnecessary to give. Sufiice itto say that the Smith surname of 530 when coded will be 2-5-7-8-10.according to this code number of five figures.

First letters of first and second given names- We have nineteenpositions left on the one margin of the card outside the segment ofeleven positions just used for the surname. I Of these nineteen markingswe shall use six, in combinations of three, to code the first letter ofthe first given name and six more, in combinations of three, to code thefirst letter of the second given name, in this manner:

Out of the twenis six letters in the alphabet,

Notches are punched in the cardseven are of relatively infrequentoccurrence as initials of given names: I, Q, U, V, X, Y,-Z. Within agiven large collection of names, these seven total no more than any oneof a number of the remaining nineteen letters of the alphabet; hence theseven are given a common coding, thus making coding provision necessaryfor only twenty lettered groupings, which is taken care of by 'sixpositions in combinations of three each:

1st initial 2nd initial (12-17) (18-23) 12-13-14A18-19-2012-13-15-13-18-19-21 12-13-16-C-18-l9-22, etc.

This leaves seven positions (24 to 30 inclusive) unused. Two of thesecan be used for sex; three for race; and the last two for parent ornonparent:

Sex:

24-male 25female Race:

26-white 27-black 28-all other Family position:

29-parent 30-nonparent Applying the code to a specific case, e. g., AmyCaroline Smith, negro mother, our positions on the card would benotched; 2-5-7-8-10 for the 530--numerical equivalent of Smith(exclusive of the S, of course, which determines itsfile drawer orcompartment); 12-13-14 for the A of Amy; 18-19-22 for the C of Caroline;25 for female; 27 for race; and 29 for parent. Notches in the card forthis person will be made adjacent to the following numbers: 2-5-7-8-10;12-13-14; 18-19-22; 25; 27; 29 (a total of 14 notches). The card wouldthen be dropped, notched side I up, in the drawer or compartmentdesignated for the S's, no particular place within such drawer orcompartment being necessary, regardless of the number of other cardstherein contained. When necessary to find that card again, although itis anywhere within the receptacle containing many other cards, it isnecessary merely to press the keys on the selector corresponding to thenumbers last above indicated and turn the device upside down, pullthehandle 54, and turn the device right side up. The desired card willbe hanging from the cover when the cover is removed.

It will be obvious from the foregoing, that filing and refiling has beenreduced to merely dropping the card anywhere in a drawer or compartmentjust as long as the notched side is up. It will also be clear that thecomplete code need not be used when selecting. For instance, if it isdesired to locate all the negro mothers, regardless of name, it issimply a matter of pressing only the keys numbered 25, 2'7 and 29; or ifdesired to locate all negro mothers of the name Smith, regardless ofgiven names, the key combination will be 2-5-7-8-10; 25, 2'7 and 29; or,if desired to locate only negro women, only-keys 25 and 27 will bepressed.

It is to be borne in mind that this consumes only one of the two marginsof the card. Thev other margin of thirty positions can be used for anyother coding purpose desired to break each case down by other groupingssuch as occupation, address or district, etc. This is accomplished,after coding along one edge, by reversing the position of the codedcards in the receptacle with respect to the top and bottom and thencontinue further coding operations.

I also show a novel method for coding cards to be used in a decimalsystem. The thirty numbers on the card 7 are arranged in six groups offive numbers each, see Fig. '7. By combining the five numbers indifierent groups of two, it is possible to designate any number fromzero to nine inclusive. The following list will make the point clearer:

The six groupings of five numbers each will give a six-numbered figureand it will therefore be possible to code up to 999,999. This type ofcoding lends itself especially to the decimal system as used in thefiling of books in libraries, list of medical classifications, etc. Itis helpful in the rapid locating of cards relating to a particulargroup. When this system is used, the banks of keys C and D may beprovided with small numbers to divide the keys into groups of;

five each in the same manner as the thirty numbers on the cards aredivided into groups of five each. These small numbers are shown inparentheses on the keys in Figure 3. It is also possible to colorsuccessive groups of five keys each with contrasting colors as black andyellow. The groups of keys would be alternately colored as indicated andthis would permit the operator to quickly find the desired keys in anygroup.

Should the thirty numbers on one edge of the card be used without anygrouping as above mentioned, it is possible to obtain as high as115,000,000 diflerent combinations. Should the other side of the card beused with its thirty numbers, it will be seen that the possiblecornbinations will be extremely large.

It should be noted that the front of the cover and the front of thereceptacle are marked in some designating manner so that the cover willbe properly positioned on the receptacle each time the device is used.The word front can be stamped on both receptacle and cover or aprojection (not shown) could be-provided in the receptacle that would bereceived in a recess (not shown) in the cover only when the cover wasproperly positioned. Figures 2 to inclusive, show a housing 43' for themechanism that rocks the bar 42. This housing has its flange recessedfor slidably receiving the arm 5|. It is possible to use all four sidesof the card for coding purposes. In the specification and claims, theterm card is used in its broadest sense, so as to cover ordinary looseleaves, cards, sheets, and other accounting elements.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should beunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a receptacle for cards having notches along theiredges arranged in a predetermined manner, a cover removably secured tothe receptacle, a plurality of depressible key bars carried by thecover, said bars being receivable in the notches, means for holding thekeys in depressed position after they have been manually moved, saidreceptacle and cover being movable as a unit for moving the cards towardthe bars, thedepressed bars only permitting those cards to pass whosenotches correspond therewith, and gripping means for gripping thosecards whose notches receive the depressed bars, said means withdrawingthe gripped cards when the cover is removed from the receptacle.

2. In a device of the type described, a receptacle for holding aplurality of cards notched along their upper edges in a predeterminedmanner, a cover for the receptacle, selector bars carried by the coverand being movable toward the cards, the advanced bars being receivablein the notches of cards whose notches correspond with the moved barswhen the receptacle is moved for moving all of the cards toward thebars, and means for retaining the cards whose notches receive the barsand for removing them when the cover is removed.

3. In a device of the type described, a receptacle, a plurality of cardsmounted in the recep tacle and having their exposed edges notched in apredetermined manner, each card also having a recess with a restrictedentrance, a cover for the receptacle, key-actuated bars movably carriedby the cover and adapted to be received in the notches aligned with thebars, said bars constituting stops for the cards when the device isturned for moving the cards toward the bars, means for holding the barsagainst return movement when manually depressed, whereby the depressedbars will act as advance stops'for all of the cards excepting thosehaving notches in alignment with the depressed bars, a card retainingmember carried by the cover and designed to enter the restricted openingand be received in the card recesses of the last-mentioned group ofcards, means for rotating the member into a position that will preventit from passing through the restricted portion of the recesses whereby aremoval of the cover will carry with it the last-named group of cards.

4. In a device of the type described, a plurality of selector bars, aguide for each end of each bar, a key-shank pivoted to each bar andcarrying a catch, a stop lying in the path of each catch, spring meansfor causing each shank to keep its catch in engagement with the stopwhen the key is depressed for moving its bar so that both ends of thebar will be moved in the same direction, and for bringing the bar andshank back into normal position when the key-shank is rocked about itspivot for freeing the catch from the stop.

5. In a device of the type described, a plurality of notched cards, aplurality of movable selector bars, a key-shank for each bar andcarrying a catch, a stop lying in the path of each catch, each key-shankwhen manually depressed moving its bar and bringing the catch intoengage ment with the stop, spring means for yieldingly urging eachkey-shank and bar back into normal position, common release means forsimultaneously freeing all of the depressed key-shanks, and cardengaging means for gripping those cards having notches receiving thedepressed bars when the cards are moved toward the bars.

6. In a device of the type described, a plurality of parallel selectorbars, a key-shank for each bar and carrying a catch, a stop member,every alternate shank being disposed on one side 0: the member and allof the other shanks being disposed on the opposite side, whereby themember will divide the shanks into two parallel rows and will act as aspacer between the rows, the

catches on the shanks in the two rows facing each other, said shanksadapted to be manually depressed for causing the catches to engage withthe stop member, and spring means for returning each shank and bar tonormal position when the shank is moved for freeing the catch ber willdivide the shanks into two parallel rows I and will act as a spacerbetween the rows, the catches on the shanks in the two rows facing each"other, said shanks adapted-to be manually depressed for causing thecatches to engage with the stop member, spring means for returning eachshank and bar to normal position when the shank is moved for freeing thecatch from the stop member, and common release means for simultaneouslyfreeing all of the depressed key-shanks,

8. In a device of the type described, a selector bar, guides for theends of the bar, a key-shank pivotally secured to the bar and extendingsubstantially at right angles thereto, said shank being manuallydepressable in the direction of its length for moving the bar, a stopbar disposed adjacent to the shank, a catch carried by the shank, and aspring connected to the shank and exerting a pulling force at an angleon the shank for yieldingly holding the catch in engagement with thestop when the shank is depressed, said spring returning the bar andshank to normal position when the shank is moved for freeing the catchfrom the stop.

9. In a device of the type described, a receptacle for holding cards,cards disposed in the receptacle and having recesses with restrictedopenings, a cover for the receptacle, a bar rectangular in crosssectionand rockably carried by the cover, said bar extendingtransversely across the tops of the cards and in line with the recesses,said bar normally having its narrow edge facing the restricted recessopenings, whereby the bar will enter the openings when the cards aremoved toward the bar, manually controlled means for rocking the barthrough 90 after the bar has entered the card recesses, thus presentingthe broad side of the bar to the restricted openings and securing thecards to the bar, whereupon a removal of the cover from the receptaclewill carry the secured cards therewith.

10. In a device ofthe type described, a cover for a receptacle, a barextending across the interior of the cover and being rockably carriedfor presenting the broad side of the bar to the receptacle.

11. In a device of the type described, a plurality of key-shanksarranged in two rows, a stop extending between the two rows, catchescarried by the shanks and engaging with the stop when the shanks aredepressed, spring means from each other for moving the shanks andfreeing the catches from the stop.

12. In a device of the type described, a receptacle for cards, a coverhaving a hand grip portion, cards placed in the receptacle and havingrecesses with restricted openings, a bar rock ably carried by the coverand having a narrow side designed to enter the restricted openings whenthe cards are moved toward the bar, an-

arm operatively connected to the bar and having a handle positioned tobe actuated by the same hand that grips the cover, said arm whenactuated, rocking the bar for presenting the wide side of the bar to therestricted entrance of the card recesses, wherebythe cards are connectedto the bar and will be removed with the cover.

13. A card'finding device comprising a receptacle having compartmentstherein, the compartments being made for holding cards havingtheirexposed edges notched in a predetermined manher, and the cards alsobeing provided with re-'- cesses with a restricted entrance, a cover forthe receptacle, aplurality' of key-actuated selector bars carried by thecover and in alignment with the notches, means for temporarily holdingany bar in advanced position that has been moved by the depressing of akey, a bar rockably carried by the cover-and aligned with the restrictedentrances, said bar presenting a narrow side to the cards so as to enterthose cards that are moved toward the bars by the tilting of thereceptacle and cover as a unit and that have notches corresponding tothe advanced bars, a handle for rocking the rockable bar for causing thebroaderside of the bar to face the restricted entrances, whereby thecards receiving the rockable bar will be secured thereto andinglyholding one shoulder against the stop .for

positioning the narrow side parallel with the top of the cover, a handleeccentrically connected to thedisc, said handle when actuated rockingthe disc to bring the other shoulder against the stop, whereby the wideside of the bar is swung into a parallel position with the cover top.

15. In a device of the type described, a plurality of selector bars,parallel guides for slidably supporting both ends of each bar, a keyshank pivoted to each bar for moving the bar so that both ends of thebar will move in the same direction. along the guides, a catch on eachshank, a stop lying in the path of each catch, and spring means forcausing each shank to keep its catch in engagement with the stop whenthe key is depressed.

16. In a device of the type described, a selector bar, parallel guidesfor slidably supporting both ends of the bars, a key shank pivoted tothe bar and being manually depressible for moving the bar so that bothends of the bar will move in the same direction along the guides, a stopbar,

for urging the shanks back into normal position,

a pair of bars extending between the two rows of shanks, and means formoving the bars away a catch carried by the shank, and a springconnected to the shank for yieldingly holding the catch against the stopwhen the shank is depressed. 1

17. A card finding device comprising a receptacle, cards disposedtherein and having their exposed edges notched in a predetermined mannerand also provided with recesses with restricted entrances, a cover forthe receptacle, a plurality of key-actuated selector bars carried by thecover and disposed in alignment with the notches, means for holding anydepressed bar against returning, a bar substantially rectangular incross-section rockably carried by the cover and normally presenting anarrow side to the restricted entrances so as to enter the recesses ofthose cards moved toward the bars by the moving of the receptacle andthat have notches corresponding to the depressed bars, and a handle forrocking the bar in the recesses for causing the broader side to closethe restricted entrances, whereby the cards receiving the rockable barwill be removed with the cover.

18. A card finding device comprising a receptacle, cards disposedtherein and having their exposed edges notched in a predeterminedmanner, a cover, selector bars carried by the cover and being receivablein the notches, said cards being movable toward the selector bars, pushbuttons associated with the bars and being movable for advancing anydesired bar toward the cards, whereby only those cards having notchescorresponding to the advanced bars will have their notched edges passbeyond the remaining cards when all of the cards are moved toward thebars, and means for gripping those cards that move further than theremaining cards.

19. In a card selecting device, the combination 01' a mass ofdata-bearing cards, each containing a plurality of marginal slotspositioned with reference to the data contained thereon, an invertibleholder for the cards, selector bars on said holder extending across thecards and being receivable in the slots, said bars being individuallyadjustable with respect to the cards, whereby to permit the cardsbearing those particular slots aligned with the adjusted bars to fallbelow the other cards and upon the adjusted bars when the holder isinverted, and means for gripping the cards whose slots receive theadjusted bars.

20. In a card selecting device, the combination of a mass ofdata-bearing cards, each containing a plurality of slots positioned onthe top margins thereof and arranged uniformly with respect to the datacontained on the cards, each cards, and a rod substantially rectangularin cross-section adapted to enter the key-slots of the advanced cardgroup, whereupon by tuming said rod in the enlarged portion of theslots, the cards will be retained thereon for removal.

21. In a device of the type described, a receptacle for holding aplurality of cards notched in a predetermined manner along the edges ofthe cards facing an opening in the receptacle, a cover for said opening,selector bars carried by the cover and being movable towards the cards,the advanced bars being receivable in the notches of cards whose notchescorrespond with the moved bars when the receptacle is moved for movingall oi the cards toward the bars, and means for retaining the cardswhose notches receive the bars and for moving them when the cover isremoved.

22. In a device of the type described, a receptacle for holding aplurality of cards having their exposed edges notched in a predeterminedmanner, a cover for the receptacle, key-actuated bars movably carried bythe cover and adapted to be received in the notches aligned with thebars, said bars constituting stops for the cards when the device isturned for moving the cards toward the bars, means for holding the barsagainst return movement when manually depressed, whereby tthe depressedbars will act as advance stops for all of the cards excepting those having notches inalignment with the depressed bars, a card retaining membercarried by the cover and designed to enter restricted portions oirecesses formed in the last-mentioned group 0! cards and to be receivedin enlarged portions of the card recesses, and means for moving themember into a position that will prevent it from passing out through therestricted portion of the card recesses, whereby a removal of the coverwill carry with it the last-named group of cards.

23. In a device 0L the type described, a plurality of movable selectorbars for overlying a plurality oi notched cards, a key-shank for eachbar and carrying a catch, a stop lying in the path of each catch, eachkey-shank when manually depressed moving its bar and bringing the catchinto engagement with the stop, spring means for 'yieldingly urging eachkey-shank and bar into normal position, common release means forsimultaneously freeing all of the depressed keyshanks, and card engagingmeans for gripping those cards having notches receiving the de pressedbars when the cards are moved toward the bars.

24; In a device of the type described, a receptacle for holding cardshaving recesses with restricted openings formed in the cards, a coverfor thevreceptacle, a bar elongated in cross-section and rockablycarried by the cover, said bar extending transversely across the tops ofthe cards and in line with the recesses, said bar normally having itsnarrow edge facing the restricted recess openings, whereby the bar willenter ,the openings when the cards are moved toward the bar, means forturning the bar after the latter has entered the card recesses forpresenting the broad side of thebar to the restricted openings andsecuring the cards to the bar, whereupon a removal 01' the cover iromthe receptacle will 'carry the secured cards therewith.

25. In a device oi the type described, a receptacle for cards havingrecesses with restricted openings in the cards, a cover having a handgrip portion, a bar rockably carried by the cover and having a narrowside designed to enter the restricted openings when the cards are movedtoward the bar, an arm operatively connected to the bar and having ahandle positioned to be actuated by the same hand of the operator thatgrips the cover, said arm when actuated, rocking the bar for presentingthe wide side of the bar to the restricted entrance oi the cardrecesses, whereby the cards are connected to the bar and will be removedwith the cover.

ROBERT O. GRIFFIN.

